Baked Pasta in Béchamel Sauce

       Olive oil

       1 large onion, chopped

       3 garlic cloves, minced  (or 3 good shakes of garlic salt)

       1 red pepper, chopped

       1 pound of ground beef

       SEASONINGs (you KNOW what my choice is!)

       Large jar of Spaghetti sauce (I make my own sauce, but this is an easy substitute.)

       Dried red pepper flakes

       Fresh Cilantro-chopped 

      

       Pasta, cooked as per instructions on the box (I use corkscrew.)

       grated parmesan cheese

      

       Saute the meat, onions and peppers in olive oil with your favorite seasonings until the meat is browned and the veggies are soft. Add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes longer. 

       Add the spaghetti sauce / Make your own and turn down the heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Begin to boil the noodles and to make the Béchamel Sauce at this point. Add the chopped cilantro right after you remove it from the heat.

        

       Béchamel Sauce

       5 TBSP butter

       3 TBSP flour

       2 cans condensed milk 

       2 tsp nutmeg

       2-3 shakes of Slap Ya Mama 

      

       Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour.  Cook out the flour for a few minutes over low heat, and then slowly add the condensed milk whisking it in. Continue to whisk the mixture until thick. Add the nutmeg and season to taste.

Assembling your Baked Pasta

Place the cooked spaghetti noodles in a LIGHTLY GREASED casserole dish (13x9) and mix in the spaghetti sauce mixture and a third of the bechamel sauce.  Mix well and then top with the rest of the bechamel and 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for 25 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Serve with garlic bread and your family will LOOOOOVE you!